Irish Anarchist Review 6 - Winter 2012

Welcome to the sixth instalment of the Irish Anarchist Review, produced by the Workers Solidarity Movement. In this magazine we look to explore ideas about the world around us, how these ideas inform practice and how the intersection of the two leads to new theory, beginning the process afresh. We believe that ideas can only be tested in the laboratory of real life struggle and that this magazine can be a forum for activists who are part of the daily struggle that is going on right now. We hope that the articles here can stimulate discussion and debate and perhaps even motivate some of our readers to respond with articles of their own.

Since the last issue of the IAR, members of the WSM attended the International Anarchist Gathering at St. Imier. The event served two purposes; to commemorate the founding of the Anarchist International one hundred and forty years ago and to allow activists from the current movement the world over to meet and discuss their experience in struggle. There were anarchists of many persuasions in attendance and as the week went on it became clear that for some, class is a contentious issue. For many of us on the left the terms “class”, “working class” and “ruling class” are part of a vocabulary we rarely question, but with the advent of the global occupy movement and the emergence of a whole new layer of activists, many prefer to focus on inequality and the language of “the 99%”.

In Paul Bowman’s article ‘Rethinking Class: From Recomposition to Counter-Power’, he poses the question “Is class still a useful idea?” or “should we instead just dispense with it and go with the raw econometrics of inequality?” He draws a line between revolutionary class analysis and universalist utopianism and goes on to explore the history of different ideas of class and the elusive revolutionary subject. After exploring the intersecting lines of class and identity, he poses the challenge that we as libertarians face as we strive to create “cultural and organisational forms of class power [that] do not unconsciously recreate the... hierarchies of identity and exclusion” that are the hallmark of the present society.

In ‘Not Waving but Drowning: Precarity and the Working Class’, Mark Hoskins takes a critical look at the idea put forward by some academics and even parts of the anti-capitalist movement that the “precariat” is the revolutionary subject of our epoch. After examining the subjective conditions of the precarious subject today and comparing its objective conditions to those of the working class of the last century, he goes on to explore how these conditions relate to our end goal, a communist society and what lessons that can teach us in our attempt to get there.

We need look no further than the north of this island for proof that the politics of identity complicates the project of class re- composition. Guest writer Liam O’Rourke casts his eye over the neo-liberal project of regeneration in the six counties. He notes that the elite sections of both communities have no problem uniting around what he describes as the “shared non-sectarian identity of the consumer” which reduces shared space to “commercial shared space”. Yet the fact that working class people have seen little of the promised “peace dividend” has not lead to heightened class consciousness so much as it has to increased sectarian division.

The occupy movement may have come into our lives just over a year ago with a bang but it went out months later with a whimper. Cathal Larkin uses the benefit of hindsight to look at the phenomenon as it manifested itself on these shores and what anarchists could have done to make it work better. The difficulties as Cathal argues did not lie in making arguments for democracy has been the case in so many other campaigns but in that the occupiers “didn’t see this conception extending to the realm of economic production” and in developing the 99%/1% analysis into a deeper class analysis. Recognising problems with current modes of consciousness raising, he utilises Paulo Freire’s pedagogical framework in an attempt to subject “our own political strategies, methodologies and theories to critical scrutiny”.

There is an ongoing debate within left wing and feminist circles in general and in the WSM in particular on how we see sex work. In two related articles, Leticia Ortega and T.J. give the case for decriminalisation. In “Sex and Sex Work from and anarcha-feminist perspective”, Leticia looks at the theoretical background to the debate between those who argue for decriminalisation and those who “see sex work (or even sex in general) as violence against women”. She argues that because sex is commodified, sex workers should be treated in the same way as others who engage in exploitative labour. “In Turn off the Red Light – Should We Advocate It?”, T.J., explores the problems faced by sex workers in gaining recognition by those who normally fight for workers rights and outlines how criminalisation of demand has created new problems in countries where that has been introduced.

In the second part of an article that appeared in issue five of the IAR, Fin Dwyer looks at the latter years of Ireland’s first post independence government, which having successfully suppressed political opposition and the workers’ movement, went on to “attack women and enforce their moral and ethical values on wider society”. From the clearing of prostitutes from the Monto and the filling of the Magdalene laundries to the institutionalisation of child abuse, he describes how the state’s close association with the Catholic Church played a decisive role in forming attitudes to women and sex that have had a devastating effect on Irish society that can still be felt today.

In a time when much of the left is pre-occupied with building “left unity”, we hope the ideas expressed here can help open up a debate on how we approach building class unity. We want those who read the magazine to develop on them and perhaps respond with ideas of their own.

about the wsm/
The Workers Solidarity Movement was founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1984 following discussions by a number of local anarchist groups on the need for a national anarchist organisation. At that time with unemployment and inequality on the rise, there seemed every reason to argue for anarchism and for a revolutionary change in Irish society. This has not changed.
Like most socialists we share a fundamental belief that capitalism is the problem. We believe that as a system it must be ended, that the wealth of society should be commonly owned and that its resources should be used to serve the needs of humanity as a whole and not those of a small greedy minority. But, just as importantly, we see this struggle against capitalism as also being a struggle for freedom. We believe that socialism and freedom must go together, that we cannot have one without the other.

Anarchism has always stood for individual freedom. But it also stands for democracy. We believe in democratising the workplace and in workers taking control of all industry. We believe that this is the only real alternative to capitalism with its ongoing reliance on hierarchy and oppression and its depletion of the world’s resources.
PO Box 1528, Dublin 8
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www.anarkismo.net
www.wsm.ie

Note:
We have received some feedback regarding a reference to the Anti-Poll Tax Federation in the article from our last issue titled “Single Issue Campaigns, Community Syndicalism and Direct Democracy”. Unfortunately there isn’t space to add it to this issue, but it has been added to the article’s webpage at wsm.ie/c/campaigns-community-syndicalism- direct-democracy

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Thanks to Dermot Freeman for the positive review of my book on Karl Marx's economic theories and their use for anarchists. Readers may be interested to know that a revised and expanded version of this book is being published soon by AK Press. Its title will be "The Value of Radical Theory; An Anarchist Introduction to Marx's Critique of Political Economy."

Every year hundreds of people attend the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair for a day of inspiring discussions and the opportunity of meeting lots of other radicals, browsing books and meeting campaigns.

The 11th Dublin Anarchist Bookfair will take place Saturday 16th of April around Smithfield square, there will also be a major event on the Friday night in the Teachers Club, 35 Parnell Square.

On the Saturday the book & campaign stalls will be in The Generator on the east side of Smithfield square, doors open at 9.30 for setup, 10.00 for early browsing. The meetings will also be in two pubs, the Cobblestone at the top (north) of the square and Frank Ryans which is just off the South West corner on Queen st.

The 10th Dublin Anarchist Bookfair which will take place Saturday 25th of April around Smithfield square. If you live in Ireland come along and meet anarchists and hundreds of people curious about anarchism in what is the biggest annual gathering of any radical left event.

The Libertarian Communist Group was formally launched at a meeting in North Wales on Saturday, November 8, 2014, the anniversary of the birth of Nestor Makhno, the famous Ukrainian anarchist. [Português] [Italiano]

The Workers Solidarity Movement had out conference last weekend at which many of the conclusions from the collections education and discussion process we have had over the last 2-3 years were formalised as policies.

There will be discussions, speakers from movements engaged in struggle, home and abroad. There will be books and stalls and much more. If you’ve been to one, then you know what I’m talking about, if you haven’t make sure you keep the date set aside, and we’ll be seeing you on the 12th of April.
Please mark your attendence on the main Facebook event for the bookfair and invite any friends you think should be interested. Publicity is one of the big costs of hosting it every year so you contribution in that way really helps.

The WSM had its Autumn national conference in Dublin on the 23rd November. National Conference is the ultimate decision making body in the WSM. It happens every six months usually over a day or two. As well as discussing motions time is also spent on discussing the past six months activity and prospects for the next period. Conference also hears reports of activity from all branches, officers and working groups. This covered areas like the Irish Anarchist Review, WSM Website, Dublin Anarchist Bookfair and our pro-choice and anti racist work.

We are pleased to announce our affiliation to the international anarchist communist co-operative project, Anarkismo. Our affiliation comes after months of discussion and clarification of Collective Action's political positions as well as the positions of constituent members of Anarkismo.

Liberty & Solidarity's 7th Biannual conference has taken the decision to disband the organisation. We are still proud of what Liberty & Solidarity has achieved and we hope to continue to work together towards shared goals, engaging with an ever broader range of trade unionists and community activists. Our project, the empowerment of working people within the workplace and society, remains the same.

Here are 9 video and audio recordings from the Dublin anarchist bookfair. So whether you were far away or were there but had to miss one session in order to attend another this is your chance to catch up.

Believe a better world is possible. Don't be afraid to dream. We all know this isn't good enough. How could it be? Are we not destined for so much more? Have we not seen glimpses of what we are truly capable of? This could be paradise. It really could be.

Dublin has an influential anarchist group, the Workers Solidarity Movement. It co-ordinates involvement in local campaigns ('especifismo' social insertion) and distribute a free quarterly news-sheet of 6000+ copies. Glasgow lacks this, but is not lacking in serious community struggles or a need for closer and more structured involvement of anarchists and other socialists in those struggles.

The Libertarian Communist Group was formally launched at a meeting in North Wales on Saturday, November 8, 2014, the anniversary of the birth of Nestor Makhno, the famous Ukrainian anarchist. [Português] [Italiano]

Liberty & Solidarity's 7th Biannual conference has taken the decision to disband the organisation. We are still proud of what Liberty & Solidarity has achieved and we hope to continue to work together towards shared goals, engaging with an ever broader range of trade unionists and community activists. Our project, the empowerment of working people within the workplace and society, remains the same.

Hundreds of people from all over Ireland are expected to attend the 7th annual Dublin Anarchist Bookfair which takes place in Liberty Hall, Dublin on Saturday 26th May. The Bookfair, organised by the Workers Solidarity Movement, will consist of a day of meetings, debates, discussions and films and will also host bookstalls and information stands from a large number of political organisations and campaigning groups.